Air conditioning equipment is widely used to treat air so as to control its temperature and humidity to meet the requirements of a confined space. While an air conditioning system typically comprises at least a refrigeration system, a control system and a fan, more elaborate systems may also include heating systems, humidity control systems and air filtration systems. The refrigeration system typically comprises a compressor, a condensor, an expansion valve and an evaporator.
Increases in the performance of air conditioning units are highly desirable. It is also desirable, particularly in regard to self-contained air conditioning units, such as automobile or room air conditioners, to reduce the weight of the air conditioner units.
The compressor typically accounts for most of the power consumption and a large fraction of the weight of an air conditioning unit. Improvement of the performance and reduction of the weight of a compressor can thus have dramatic effects on the efficiency and on the weight of the air conditioner unit of which the compressor is a part.
The performance and weight of conventional compressors are limited by the properties of the materials of construction. The high thermal conductivity of conventional metal compressors typically gives rise to an inefficiency in the compression cycle in that a portion of the heat generated by the compression of the working fluid is transferred from the compressed fluid through the compressor housing to the incoming fluid, thus raising the temperature of the incoming fluid. The high density of metal components increases the weight of the compressor. The high friction coefficient, high coefficient of thermal expansion, and limited wear resistance of metal components each have detrimental effects on the durability of the compressor.
What is needed in this art is a refrigerant compressor which overcomes the limitations discussed above.